The Middle East: Jihadist Militancy, National And Intra-State Tensions, And State-Society Dichotomy: Jihadist Militancy, National and Intra-State Tensions, and State-Society Dichotomy

In 2021, trends of instability and insecurity ranging from jihadist militancy to sectarian schisms and inter-and intra-state fissures to great power interventionism continued to persist, without worsening further, in the Middle East. While Iran and Saudi Arabia tried to dial down their tensions, hostility grew further between Tehran and Israel where hardliners have come to power in recent months. The growing Iran-Israel tensions would complicate the US efforts to extricate itself from the Middle East to focus on its rivalry with China and Russia. The Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan had a rejuvenating effect on the Middle Eastern jihadist groups, particularly those linked to the Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda (AQ), providing them with a template to imitate. Despite receding from the global geopolitical spotlight, developments in the Middle East would continue to have their far-reaching implications for international peace and stability.